


finding a home

by shindouchrono



Category: Cardfight!! Vanguard
Genre: Dreams, M/M, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-30
Updated: 2018-04-30
Packaged: 2019-04-29 23:53:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14483976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shindouchrono/pseuds/shindouchrono
Summary: Chrono is sitting and waiting, waiting to talk to someone he doesn't know yet.





	finding a home

Chrono stares at the chair across from him. Even though he knew it was a dream, everything felt so real. If he was being honest, he didn’t really know where he was, or who exactly he was waiting for.

But, he knows he’s waiting for someone. Resting his elbow on the table, he puts his chin in his hand, taking a sip from his drink. It’s good. Some sort of cherry flavored soda, the one Chrono liked. He absent-mindedly looks down at the cup.

Someone sets a tray down on the table, and Chrono lifts his head.

A dark haired male is sitting down at the chair across from Chrono. He has a white strip of hair partially covering one of his eyes. He’s wearing a button up and a flat expression. On the tray is what looks to be a large order of fries, and some sort of tea.

“Hey.”

His voice sounds… nice.

“Hello…?” Chrono says, shifting his gaze in a different direction. He wasn’t very good with eye contact in the first place, but it was even harder to look at the person sitting across from him. Who knew why, but whatever the reason, the fact stood that Chrono couldn’t look right at him.

“I’m Kazuma. Shouji Kazuma.”

This ‘Kazuma’ stretches his hand out for Chrono to shake, and he does, albeit reluctantly. As soon as the handshake ends, Chrono puts his hands on his lap. Who was this guy?

“So this is what you were like when you were younger, Chrono.”

“Wh--what?” Chrono looks over at Kazuma, watching as the older boy puts his chin in his hand, smiling gently. “Um, Shouji-san...?”

“Just Kazuma is fine.”

Chrono furrows his brows.

“...Kazuma, then. Who exactly are you, and how do you know my name?”

“Ah, well…” Kazuma scratches his neck, staring up at the ceiling. He looks lost in thought for a second, before looking directly into Chrono’s eyes. “It feels weird to say, since you look like this, but… I’m your future teammate and boyfriend.”

“Hah?”

What was this guy saying? Future teammate? What would happen to TRY3, and for what reason would they stop being a team? No, more importantly… ‘Boyfriend’...?

Chrono hadn’t thought much about any sort of romantic relationship in the future. He had always been more focused on Vanguard, not to mention he never actually liked anyone. Sure, there were people that were objectively okay-looking, but Chrono had never really understood the kinds of things they’d talk about in romance movies.

One thing was for sure, though, was that Kazuma was looking at Chrono the way people in love stared at the object of their affections.

“Oh.” Chrono replies, voice cracking.

Kazuma grins. “You blush the same. Your ears get red. It’s cute.”

Flustered, Chrono grabs his drink. Is he trying to tell Chrono that in the future, Chrono would be _dating_ this cocky, flirty guy? The way Kazuma’s body moved, and the way his expression would subtly change, he really wanted to shake his future self’s shoulders and ask _why_.

Still, that look in Kazuma’s eyes…

“What do you mean future teammate? What happens to TRY3?”

Actually, Chrono couldn’t imagine being teammates with anyone other than Shion and Tokoha, or, like, friends in _general_. He wasn’t a very friendly person, and he was bad with people. He didn’t even like talking to people.

“Nothing bad, don’t worry. You’re all still really close.” Kazuma says, but he has a weird expression on his face. Chrono can’t be sure, since he doesn’t know his future, but it looks something akin to jealousy. “The other one is-- well, I think you know him by now. It’s Taiyou.”

Chrono raises his eyebrows in shock. “Taiyou?! Really? That’s…” He pauses, thinking. “That’s nice. I’m glad.”

“You don’t really look glad.”

Almost unconsciously, Kazuma reaches out to touch Chrono’s face. With the same level of unconsciousness, Chrono tilts his head to lean further into Kazuma’s touch. It felt so warm, and so familiar.

Embarrassed, Chrono pulls away. “This is my normal face.”

“Oh, is it?” Kazuma looks genuinely surprised. “You look a lot angrier than you normally do. Well, older you, at least.”

“That’s just my face-- wait, what?” He was defensive at first, but it quickly changes to surprise, and then intrigue. “What am I like?”

“You’re,” Kazuma starts. He bites his lips, cheeks flushing to a light shade of pink. “You’re a cheerful, happy-go-lucky, twirly haired idiot who I love.”

Chrono wrinkles his nose. “Most of that wasn’t a compliment.”

“Well, sorry about that. It’s true, though.”

Happy-go-lucky? That wasn’t anything like how Chrono was now. There were a lot of words Chrono would use to describe himself-- moody, rude, quiet, blunt, but _cheerful?_ Probably at the bottom of the list.

Idiot could be near the top of said list.

“You don’t look very happy, hearing that.”

“I guess… It’s just weird to hear that I’m like that. I don’t… really see myself as being happy-go-lucky, let alone cheerful. I’m… nothing like that. You sure there’s not another Shindou Chrono out there?”

“I wouldn’t mistake you for anyone, Chrono.” Kazuma’s face as he says is a deadpan expression, one that looks stony faced and serious. Chrono’s previous statement definitely wasn’t said with the intent to receive a response like that.

Chrono shrugs his shoulders. Kazuma opens his mouth to speak.

“People change. You changed me.”

Shock hits Chrono like a train. “I did?”

“You did. You made me into a better person. You brought down the walls I had built like they were nothing, and you opened my whole world so easily. I really adore you, Chrono. And…” Kazuma looks off into the distance, his cheeks red. “I’m glad for this chance to tell you, like this, because I’d be too embarrassed to say this sort of thing normally.”

God, Chrono’s blushing too. He doesn’t fully understand everything Kazuma’s saying, but he somehow does.

“Should I say you’re welcome to that?”

Kazuma leans his head back and laughs, even though he still looks somewhat embarrassed. “If you’d like.”

Chrono laughs, too.

“Um,” He begins, fidgeting with his fingers. “Can you tell me more about myself, and what happens? I’m curious to know.”

“Oh, what do you want to know?”

At Kazuma’s question, Chrono shrugs.

“I don’t know… Part of me wants to know everything, but the other part of me doesn’t. I’m not all that fond of things taking me by surprise, but… Life would be a lot less interesting if I knew everything that was going to happen.”

“That’s just like you.” Kazuma nods to himself. “I can tell you, though, that you _do_ get taller, so if you’re worried about that… then you’re in the clear.”

“...Are you making fun of me?”

Kazuma snorts. “Yup.”

“Still, it seems like I’m going to change a lot in the future. It’s… sort of nice, actually. To know that.” Chrono admits. “I was… well, it’s not like I’m unhappy with how I am now, but I’m not exactly satisfied with how I am, either. I wonder what happens to change me so much.”

“I wonder that, too.” Kazuma says, sighing with his chin still resting in his palm. “Well, seeing how much I’ve changed because of you, I’m not surprised that you’re a lot different younger than older. I wonder what you’ll be like three years from now. Uh, well, not _you_ , but…”

“I know what you mean.”

“...That’s good. I’m not sure how I’d explain it.” He suddenly flinches. “Shit, forgot about the fries. Chrono, help me eat these. They’re gonna get cold.”

Complying, Chrono starts helping Kazuma eat the fries.

“I wonder if what it’d be like if you met your future self.”

Chrono raises his eyebrows. “I think it’d be interesting.”

“Two Chronos…” Kazuma clicks his tongue. “Yeah, I have enough trouble with just one of you. With two, I’d have my hands way too full. You’d end up getting in some sort of trouble for sure.”

“You have your hands full with me? You know, I don’t think I would have changed so much to suddenly enjoy someone taking care of me.”

“Well, I don’t think you enjoy it. It’s more like you let me take care of you, not to mention, you’re kind of an idiot. It’s only natural I’d be a little bit overprotective of you. You’ve even said you like that I do this. Plus, you never complain about it, aside from when I stop you from doing something stupid and dangerous.”

“Geez. You really don’t mince words.”

“Future you really likes that about me, actually.” Kazuma looks mighty proud of himself. The fries are half gone, with the two of them eating at hyper speed.

Chrono stares blankly at Kazuma, tilting his head subtly to the side. “You know, Kazuma…”

“What?”

Chrono suddenly smiles, kind and gentle. “When you first showed up, I was thinking to myself why I would end up liking you. I wanted to shake my future self by the shoulders and ask what he was thinking. But, I think I kind of understand.”

Kazuma leans forward, elbow on the table. His face looks halfway between annoyance and adoration. It’s a funny combo that wouldn’t work on anyone else’s face. “Oh? Do tell.”

“The way you speak about me, I can tell that you really love me. And when you talk, even though I don’t know you-- I feel like I do. The way you move, and the way you speak… I feel like I understand perfectly, even though I don’t actually know anything. It’s a weird feeling. It’s kind of nostalgic, I guess? And comforting. You’re like coming home after a long day. I feel like I’ve known you forever.”

Kazuma’s jaw is hanging open, but Chrono keeps speaking.

“You said that I changed you, but I think you probably changed me in a way you don’t realize. I’m not easy to get along with, I’m not good at expressing myself, and I’m crass, I can be rude, and it’s true, I can be a bit of an idiot. I’m really bad at getting along with people. Right now, at least. But, I think that my future self would also have these problems-- no, I know for sure that he would.” Chrono sets down his drink, staring at the condensation pooling on the spot where it sits. “Your smile, your eyes, your voice… The way you look at me with such a tender expression. I can see why my future self would fall so in love with you. I understand, I think.”

Kazuma buries his face in his palms, but Chrono can still see the faint blush that spreads across his cheeks. “You falling for me early, Shindou?”

“Shindou?” At the sudden surname, Chrono leans forward a little bit.

“Shit, I mean… Chrono. Even though you’re you, I don’t think your future self would be happy to know he has competition.” Flustered, Kazuma gestures with his hand, like he’s trying to whap away a bug.

Chrono snorts. “Sorry to burst your bubble, but if he and I ever had a run in, I think we’d be more interested in trying to fight one another with Vanguard.”

“Ugh, you’re right. That’s exactly what you would do. You’re so stubborn like that. I doubt even I could tear you away once you’ve found an opponent in yourself.”

The two laugh together. The basket of fries is empty, and so is Chrono’s drink. There’s only ice left.

Kazuma looks down at his wristwatch, sighing. “I think it’s about time for me to get going, Chrono. I’m sorry I need to leave so suddenly.”

“Ah… I wonder how long we’ve been sitting here and talking.” Chrono wants to reach for his phone to check the time, but his phone, for whatever reason, isn’t in his pocket.

Come to think of it, when Kazuma looked at his watch, Chrono didn’t see anything on it. It was just a blank slate.

“It was really great talking to you like this, Chrono. Thank you.” Kazuma starts to stand, and Chrono follows-- but quickly grabs his sleeve. “What is it?”

“Oh, I…” Chrono trails off, not sure how to explain the thoughts in his head. “I wanted to… thank you, I think.”

Kazuma doesn’t say anything.

“I wanted… to thank you for loving me, Kazuma. I can’t wait to meet you, I can’t wait to fall in love with you, but most of all… I can’t wait for the day I look at you and understand the expression you make when you look at me.” Chrono bows his head down, then lifts it slowly.

Kazuma gets closer, so quickly that Chrono can’t react. He holds the red-haired boy tightly in his arms, taking slow, shuddering breaths. “I love you, Chrono.”

Chrono shuts his eyes and hugs onto Kazuma. “I love you too, Kazuma.”

Kazuma doesn’t turn to look back as he leaves the space the two had occupied. It’s an empty, untouched space. It’s like the face on Kazuma’s watch. It’s going to be filled with memories, moments so dear and tender that they couldn’t possibly be expressed or explained with words.

But, as he leaves, Chrono swears he saw a tear fall down Kazuma’s cheek, even though the dark haired male was smiling.

Chrono wipes away the crumbs and water marks on the table, thinking quietly to himself. He knows what time it is, even without a clock or his phone. Somehow, he knows. It was time to go back.

“Kazuma… Thank you.”

Then, just like before, he closes his eyes.

 

* * *

 

 

When he opens them, he wakes up in a dark room. There’s light spilling through the curtains, and Chrono sits up in bed. A bead of sweat drips down his cheek, and, hands shaking, he wipes it away.

The dream is still fresh in his mind. The warmth of Kazuma’s arms around him, the tears running down Kazuma’s cheeks.

It takes him a second to realize that it’s not sweat that drips down his cheek. Chrono is about to raise his arm to brush away the tear, but then--

A different hand reaches out, gently caressing Chrono’s face. Chrono blinks, as his eyes fully adjust to the darkness. Kazuma is sitting up, staring at Chrono with a worried expression on his face.

“You okay?” He asks, voice filled with worry.

Chrono nods. “Yeah, I’m alright. I just had a weird dream. How long have you been awake, babe?”

Kazuma laughs, pulling Chrono in for a hug. “What was the dream about? But, to answer your question, I haven’t been awake that long. You called out my name in your sleep about ten minutes ago, and that woke me up.”

“I called for you?”

“Yup. You sounded like you were going to cry, so I’ve been just sitting here for a while.”

Chrono shifts, resting his head on Kazuma’s chest. His boyfriend’s heartbeat is a bit quicker than it usually is, probably since Chrono woke up so suddenly.

“Sorry if I scared you. I dreamt… Well, it’s gonna sound kind of weird, but it made sense in the dream. I was a lot younger, but you were how you are now. We just talked. You introduced yourself as my future teammate and my future boyfriend.”

“Do I flirt with you enough for me to flirt with you in your _dreams_?” Kazuma asks, playfully. “It sounds like an interesting dream, though.”

“It was gay as hell, that’s what it was! You kept flirting with me, and I’m pretty sure that I flirted back. But, uh… I said some kind of embarrassing things in the dream. I didn’t mumble in my sleep, did I?”

“You didn’t, but now I really want to know.”

Chrono shakes his head. “It… wasn’t anything you don’t already know. There was something that I said, though. That I ‘looked forward to the day I look at you and understand the expression you make when you look at me’...”

“Well, do you?”

Chrono buries his face in Kazuma’s chest. “I do. I do understand. And, I know I make that same face towards you.”

“It… It’s embarrassing when you put it like that. I’m kind of embarrassed now.”

“Well,” Chrono says, pouting. “That makes two of us. But, um… I just wanted to say.” He lifts his head to gaze into Kazuma’s eyes.

“Yeah?”

“I wanted to say, uh… Well, thank you for loving me. I know, I know, ‘it’s your pleasure’ and all that, but I really, genuinely, wanted to say thank you to you. I don’t know if you know how much you’ve actually changed me, Kazuma. You made me into a different person, someone better than I was before. It’s not as if I wasn’t okay all on my own, but I like having you by my side, and it makes me happy that I’m secure in the fact you’ll always be there, next to my flawed self and all.”

Kazuma presses a kiss on Chrono’s cheek. “You’ve said it before, haven’t you? That you’d believe in me, even if I didn’t believe in myself. I’ll believe in you, and I’ll support you every step of the way. I’m glad to know you, and I’m glad to love you, and I’m overjoyed that you love me.”

Chrono moves to peck Kazuma on the lips, grin stretching across his face. He pulls away, cheeks flushed with affection.

Kissing Chrono again, Kazuma whispers. “I love you. I love your past self, I love your present self, and I love your future self. I love you.”

Wiping tears out of the corners of his eyes, Chrono pulls the blanket over the two.

“I love you too, Kazuma.”

Just like that, Chrono shuts his eyes. He’s lulled to sleep by Kazuma’s calm presence, and his heartbeat as a lullaby. Kazuma’s eyes flutter closed, too. The two sleep in each other’s arms, and more sunlight pours through the curtains, casting a gentle glow on the couple—

 

The two who loved each other, and always would, whether it was past, present, or future.

 

**Author's Note:**

> WELL IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I'VE (PUBLISHED) A KAZUCHRO FIC but here I am, don't worry. I'm still in hell.  
> A brief explanation, but I hope that the last bit of the fic explained... Chrono just had a dream of when he was younger (G era Chrono, so he's 14/15) and Kazuma is the age he is in canon currently. I don't really have a reason for why I wrote this fic, other than I kind of felt like it.
> 
> As always, thank you very much for reading and I hope you enjoyed-- and if you did, feel free to leave a kudo or a comment! My twitter is @chronojetdragon, AND I also have commissions open so (flutters eyelashes) if you'd like something catered to you specifically, feel free to hit me up!!


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